1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates to a method and system of sensing fluid downhole, and more specifically, relates to a method and system of diverting a continuous stream of wellbore fluid past the sensor.
2. Description of Prior Art
Downhole sensors are often used for sensing properties in a flow of fluid produced from hydrocarbon producing wellbores. The sensors may be deployed downhole within a producing wellbore, a jumper or caisson used in conjunction with a subsea wellbore, or a production transmission line used in distributing the produced fluids. Monitoring fluid produced from a wellbore is useful in wellbore evaluation and to project production life of a well. In some instances transmission lines may include fluid produced from wells having different owners.
The produced fluid may include water and/or gas mixed with liquid hydrocarbon. Knowing the water fraction is desirable to ensure adequate means are available for separating the water from the produced fluid. Additionally, the amount and presence of gas is another indicator of wellbore performance, and vapor mass flow impacts transmission requirements. Fluid sensors can be employed that provide information regarding total flow, water cut amount, and gas fractions. However, in some flow conditions a single phase (e.g. oil or water) of the wellbore fluid flowing past the sensor can remain adjacent the sensor, so that the measurements taken by the sensor do not fully represent the fluid flowing in the wellbore. Moreover, when in a deviated or horizontal portion of a wellbore, multi-phase fluids can stratify so that sampling fluid in one axial location of the wellbore may not accurately represent the entire volume of fluid flowing in the wellbore.